Optimised Summon Barb Skills

I've seen the old guides and have read the old skills that used to be smaxed etc.

I'm wondering has anything changed with the recent buff to other summons. To people smax another spirit now (Guardian for high range dmg)
Bear stance still the best stance to max up until 50% phys dr?
And is gladiators dominance still the preferred uber. or is nephalem better to increase damage.

I presume gear hasn't really changed at all from the old guides

Gladiators dominance is entirely new skill, it used to be shamanic trance that was changed and moved to summoning tree.
There is no more uebrskill thats just meant for summoner anymore.

well imo nephalem spirit is good for summoner since it scales with str like shamanic trance and it boosts the whole party

So basically nothing's changed from the old guides? No reason to smax any of the other spirits other than protector.
No reason to use any other uber > Nephalem
Bear stance still better than any other?
and gears the same

Smax Protector,

Downside of neph spirit for summons is, they dont have any -enemy res, so they fight regular uber enemies with +35% elemental resists.

You might want to get tankier yourself, either through block or runemaster.

if you have toraja's champion you can probably leave protector 1pt and put points in the other 2

other stance option since you go full str is lion stance, with runemaster or gladiator's dominance as uber

What are currently popular summoner specs?
I wonder what works, you can do either more merc oriented build, buff his procs, or a hybrid where barb also attacks, throw skills. Or just pure summoner.
I'm curious myself what works for people in this patch.

Reviving this thread. Recently lvled to 120. Starting on easy charms in TUs and honorifics. In playing pure summoner with bear stance. Any other preferences, hybrid throw with wolfstance? And what Merc r u using, mid game gear suggestions for him/her?

Priest and Abjurer are great mercs for th e build. Summon has great single target too especially with oskill minions on top, no reason to go anything but bear. If you plan on getting rune stones you can respec full Wolf stance though oft that specific enemies.